Barmer: Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that emergency landing facilities will be developed at 19 other places to strengthen the country’s security, as a first of its kind Emergency Landing Strip was inaugurated in Rajasthan’s Barmer, close to the India-Pakistan border.
Gadkari, along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, landed at the newly made Emergency Landing Strip in a C130J of the Indian Air Force.
The landing strip is on the National Highway 925A, between Barmer and Jalore in Rajasthan.
Speaking after the inauguration, Gadkari said the highway runway will further strengthen the country’s security in protecting the borders which are strategically important.
The Minister said emergency landing facilities will be developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at 19 other locations as well.
Speaking at the location, which is close to the Pakistan border, the Minister said there was a need to develop an airport there, adding that he has asked Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, who was also present at the inauguration, to look at it.
“There is no airport here for around 300 Kms. I have proposed to (CDS) General Bipin Rawat to make an airport, we will give land for that. Commercial aircraft can also operate from that airport. IAF will also guide in this,” Gadkari said.
While stressing that the ministry was undertaking road construction at a record pace, the Minister said it is significant from a security point of view as well.
“Our National Highways will also be of use to the army, which will make our country more secure and always ready for emergency situations,” Gadkari said.
He also pushed for use of bio-fuel in the forces and said he has asked the service chiefs to reduce dependency on petrol and diesel in the forces.
The minister also announced several other locations where similar strips would be developed.
The strips will be developed on the Phalodi – Jaisalmer road and Barmer – Jaisalmer road in Rajasthan.
In West Bengal, it will be developed on the Kharagpur – Balasore road, the Kharagpur – Keonjhar road and near Panagarh/KKD.
In Tamil Nadu, it will be developed on the Chennai-Puducherry road; in Andhra Pradesh on Nellore – Ongole road and Ongole – Chilakaluripet road and in Haryana on Mandi Dabwali to Odhan road, and in Punjab near Sangrur.
In Gujarat, a strip will be developed on the Bhuj-Naliya road and Surat-Baroda road. In Jammu and Kashmir, it will be on the Banihal-Srinagar road, and in the Leh/Nyoma area in Ladakh.
In Assam, it will be on the Jorhat-Baraghat road, near Sivasagar, Bagdogra-Hashimara road, Hashimara-Tezpur road and Hashimara-Guwahati road, the minister said.
Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was also present on the occasion.
